This is the kind of review as a fellow business owner, you dread writing. I've been writing reviews…read moreon Yelp for 11 years across four states I've lived in. I will give fair credit when it's due. Reviews can make or break a small business and I am very aware of that and I've thought about it for 4 months before writing this. I would like to preface this review with acknowledging that the location, the energy and the views of this retreat center can't be beat. It is truly a beautiful and magnificent setting. We ran a retreat here for 35 people and booked out the whole place in late July to early August 2018 for our community members of our online business. There were a lot of painful hiccups during our retreat, some of which were completely avoidable and unprofessional. First of all, this place is severely under staffed and from what we experienced, poorly run. The owner (Jeanne) is wound up tight and she has her hands in everything, making her not so effective in anything. Mike and Amy who work the front desk are awesome but that's about it when it comes to customer relations and service. Hawaii can be funky and we're used to it because we live here. However there are limits when running a "luxury" resort. The solar hot water gets REALLY hot. I mean REALLY REALLY hot. As an owner you already know this, why would you not put a sign next to the hot water taps to warn your out of town guests? One of our guests who was handicapped and needs a hot bath daily ran the hot water and proceeded to put her foot in the tub. She suffered 2nd degree burns from the hot water. (see images). On top of that, there was only one first aid kit for the entire resort, and even that was poorly stocked with only a couple of band aids and cotton swabs. Our guest was in agony for the whole week and when she inquired about the possibility of a comped stay, the answer was a flat no from the retreat owner. We ended up giving her a a full refund from our end because it's the right thing to do. (Note that under plumbing codes, the maximum allowable temperature limits for hot water in plumbing is 120º F / 48º C) https://www.phcppros.com/articles/1828-hot-water-system-temperatures-and-the-code Another guest slipped and fell on the property. No biggie. Accidents happen and we understand. The retreat owner's husband is a medical doctor and he voluntarily came to check on our guest to reassure her that her lung was not punctured by a fractured rib. Jeanne charged our guest $100 for that "voluntary" visit. Here was another thing that broke our hearts. The chef was ranting one day and said out loud "I can't stand all these people and can't wait until they leave!" -- One of our retreat attendees was within earshot and heard the entire rant and told us about it afterwards. Talk about awkward. The resort is not all that clean, the food was terrible and not what we had requested even though we provided the full menu and exact recipes months ahead (we run an online meal plan subscription business) so our community is used to a specific way of eating and flavors of a whole food plant based lifestyle. We were assured this would be no issue since Hawaii has an abundance of fruits and the retreat center has its own vegetable gardens. The owner was unprofessional and horrible to us. She's an odd one with no qualms about yelling at you on the phone even though we're the clients booking out the entire space. We were amazed at how unprofessional the entire experience was. It's safe to say that we will never do another retreat here, nor would we recommend it. This is too bad because it is truly a stunning location.

Roaches roaches and more roaches. This review is from pre-COVID, so hopefully this place has…read morechanged and I want to give them the benefit of the doubt as I am sure they are trying. I stayed for a wedding here and my room had three roaches that I saw over just one night. Keep in mind there is no AC (in summer) so the windows have to be open. Two were on ceiling and one under toilet seat at 9 AM in the morning. The owner said it was "water bugs" not roaches, offered no refund and the attached two photos are the ones I took of the "water bugs". I believe this property needs a revamp and at least some pest control maintenance.

This is a nice plantation style Inn in the heart of Hawi. It's very neat and clean and modernized…read morewith fast Internet, good beds, and an extremely helpful staff. Highly recommended for a modest inn with walking access to coffee, restaurants, many art, galleries, and other sites.

Simple clean and quiet place with old fashioned single rooms. Plush bath towels. The AC unit worked…read morereally well. We actually had to shut it off at one point. The tiny Hawi downtown is just around the corner. The parking lot is right next to the building. The front desk women were very nice and helpful. This town and hotel with lower your blood pressure and get rid of your stress.

Farewell Sunset Dinner on Kilohana Beach Mauna Lani…read more Enjoyed a relaxing day and we are looking forward to our final day here in Hawaii. Bartender, Host, and all ther servers was so friendly and helpful. Rosemarie and James made sure we had everything we needed. Live Hawaiian Music - Ben Kama @benkamamusic Whiskey Sour Chardonnay Fresh Green Salad Steak and Fish Cheese Cake Make you own S'mores... Mahalo! You mush host your next event here.

This hotel is beautiful, truly. Everywhere you walk, a breeze follows you so you feel like a…read moreHawaiian model. The entire property is stunning EXCEPT the old tiled walkway to your room with a rolled out carpet runner. That was the only part that was like "finish the design job please" but I get it, #budgets. The room itself is totally fine but walking to the room I was surprised considering how flawlessly stunning, modern and upscale the rest of the grounds are. The valet and reception staff are beautiful, elegant, friendly, upscale. Borrow a cute Mauna Lani bike for free and ride over to the market or the Fairmont for some daytime snorkeling. The gym is well appointed and has a great water machine. The breakfast buffet is well worth the $60pp value. I think I ate enough sashimi to shut up about sashimi prices for a while. Their açaí bowl with house made granola is to die for. Most memorable was making friends with Viola, Hawaii's most valuable Tutu (grandma) at Halani. Her aloha spirit just blessed our entire trip with sunshine and love. I also got to meet Les from the kitchen at Halani and learn about Taro farming! I will forever consider them my new friends from the islands.

The Spa without Walls experience was a treat far beyond the majority of the high priced other…read moreresorts along the Kona Gold Coast. A really incredibly trained masseurs professionals with good energy and support staff as well as an outdoor garden accompanied with the sounds of wild birds and ocean waves that lap you into a trance like state. We recieved a kamaaina discount which we are grateful for. Mahalo to all who made our birthday experience amazing. The champagne offered at the end was a treat. Chocolate strawberries, stunning finish to a glorious day. Mahalo plenty!

Gracious first impression, disappointing follow-through -- particularly considering the stars they…read morecarry. Check-in was warm and the complimentary upgrade lent a genuine sense of hospitality -- one the stay itself never lived up to. The air conditioning was broken and clearly overdue for servicing. Housekeeping was inconsistent at best: personal items had been moved in ways we found inappropriate, bed linens went unchanged for stretches, and the towels bore visible stains on two different occasions. Most concerning was a basic hygiene failure we witnessed directly: a housekeeper handled the trash bin and then, without changing gloves or washing hands, proceeded to handle and place our fresh towels. That is not a lapse in polish -- it is cross-contamination, and at a property of this caliber it points to a gap in training and supervision that guest-facing warmth cannot paper over. We've shared the details with hotel management and trust the Fairmont brand team will want to look into this. One expects a Fairmont to get the fundamentals right. This one did not.

Puakea Ranch is our home away from home in Hawaii. This the perfect place to slow down, relax, and…read moreunwind in a beautiful natural setting. Our family has been coming to the ranch since 2011 and have stayed at every cottage. The ranch offers comfort and amenities while maintaining a rural and country/private atmosphere. We love the views, its peaceful and beautiful country style. These homes are beautifully kept and so special to our family. We love staying at the ranch with our kids and plan to continue to visit every year. Christie, thank you for another wonderful stay!

Heaven on earth! We stayed in the Miles Away cabin with our two kids and it felt completely private…read moreand was stunningly beautiful. The cabin was charming, the dipping pool refreshing, and our hosts helpful and welcoming. Our kids loved hanging with the farm animals and we made salads from the communal garden each evening. A lovely getaway that feels truly remote but is only a 30 minute drive from the resort beaches. We will be back!

The property is spectacular, and the views are endless However the highlight for us was employees…read morelike Virgil, who took care of our every need with a smile. Thanks again, Virgil, Tym & Bee Yean

This is most awesome beach ever (I've been to many beaches), and the hotel is very good too…read more One caveat is if you have mobility issues, this might not be the place as there's a bit of up and down stairs to get to the pool and beach. But we enjoy going up stairs for fun. I'm sure they have some accommodation, tho. One disappointment is they don't great each other by saying HaPuna matata. I got blank stares when I tried this. But it is really good pun, no? Food is expensive, out of compound restaurants are distant, so pay and enjoy as it was very good.

I recently stayed at one of the smaller resorts, and what it lacks in size, it more than makes up…read morefor in comfort and convenience. One of the best things about this property is how easy it is to get around. Unlike larger resorts where you feel like you're constantly walking from one end to the other, everything here is close and accessible. It creates a much more relaxed and cozy experience. The beach is also within easy walking distance, whether you choose to go left or right. Another major advantage is the location across the street from two shopping malls, both offering restaurants and shopping options. The convenience of being able to walk to everything is truly priceless. If I'm remembering correctly, the malls are called King and Queen, or something very similar. In one of them, there is also a grocery store that is impressive in its own right, with cooked food and a wide variety of items you might need during your stay on the island--or even if you are not staying there. I will review that grocery store separately in another post. Overall, this is a great choice for anyone who values convenience, walkability, and a more intimate resort setting.

Do NOT do a timeshare update here!! Bryan was our sales representative. Justin the timeshare sales…read moremanager was rude and disrespectful. When we told Bryan we were not interested in buying more points, he must have told his manager (Justin) that Randy my husband seemed interested and his wife, Susan is not interested. When Justin sat down in front of us he said, ( well this is awkward, Susan who makes the decisions you or Randy!!!!) I told him we both make the decisions and yes, now , this is very awkward!!) Never have we had such a disrespectful tag team trying to pit us against each other for a SALE!! Do not subject yourself to this very unprofessional group of salespeople!!

Beautiful historic hotel lovingly preserved by awesome couple. Clean, serene…read more Only come here if you have respect for all things Hawaii history, and gently , carefully lived in spaces. Such a gem!! A continental breakfast is served downstairs in the breakfast room, the original lounge and Gathering Room of the hotel complete with original Hawaii style wood bar. Private rooms with private baths are available. Some of these rooms are upstairs with amazing ocean views! All things are simple and pared-down, so don't expect sound machines at the bedside, Golf Channel, multiple outlets for plugins, Etc. Free parking in the parking lot out front.

The bedding had a smell, it felt dirty. Every time I stay at a hotel…read moreI always check for bed bugs. Sure enough they were bed bugs, we booked 4 rooms, we didn't stay at that hotel. We left as soon as possible.

The grounds here are beautiful. At night the ambiance feels magical. The spa and fitness facilities…read moreare lovely with tons of equipment, saunas, steam room, cold plunge, hot tub, a giant lap pool. The hotel has plenty of pools and restaurants but the chair management at the pool could be improved. It seemed like guests would reserve their chairs early and the chairs were not turned over once they left. We would walk by and see tons of towels showing chairs were claimed but no one in sight. The only pool that you are able to easily get a chair at is the spa fitness center pool. If you want a safe / easy snorkel option, they have a snorkel pond; King's Pond is 1.8-million-gallon carved lava rock aquarium with tropical fish and spotted eagle rays.

My company came here for our President's Club trip, and every detail coordinated by Shannon, the…read moreSpecials Event Manager, made us feel like VIPs! I worked closely with Shannon, Kehkoa, Indah (accounting) and the events team. While the pre-trip communication was a bit challenging due to time zone differences and delays (or lack) in responses, everything ran smoothly from the moment we arrived through the end of the trip. As the event planner for our President's Club trips, I stayed in a staff room and had no complaints! My room was in a prime location next to the pool, close to Ulu, a washer/dryer, the front desk, the beach garden and the amphitheater. While the staff on-site mentioned everything is within a 10-minute walk, I would challenge that as it really depends on your walking pace and tolerance for heat/humidity. Though there are plenty of [pricey] dining options to choose from on-site, it was frustrating fighting for breakfast, as there is only one designated breakfast spot-- Ulu. It didn't matter that I was a party of one or could be a party of 10, the wait times were horrendous no matter the size of your party. BE WARNED: service operates on island time, so either ask for the check upon getting your food or be patient and enjoy the waves and where you're at in the world. Note: There is a trading co in the front of the resort that is a full coffee bar and offers pastries, grab-and-go options, souvenirs, and various knick-knacks you may need. AMENITIES: There are 8 outdoor pools, one being a kids only pool (Keiki Pool) and one being a pond (King's Pond) where you can snorkel for free. If you don't have time to snorkel off-site, this a fun sample of what the Big Island has to offer. There's also a complimentary washer and dryer, complete with detergent and dryer sheets-- perfect for an extended stay and the many pool/beach days. If you ever need anything, your room may already have it. Check the drawer near the coffee machine. I forgot my phone charger at home and found an all-in-one charger in the drawer (at a cost-- $25). Planning these events can be stressful, especially when you're responsible for EVERYTHING. The events team and the front desk staff went above and beyond -- they even extended my check-out time to 8 PM, which was a huge help for me to finish packing my company's marketing materials and shipping them off.

Gorgeous, upscale, relaxing resort. Imagine riding a bicycle from your room to the beach, getting a…read morePina colada from the outdoor bar, and watching a dreamy tangerine sunset. The Moana restaurant has gorgeous views either inside or out. The staff is very friendly and accommodating. The strawberry and tomato salad was sublime, but to be fair I only asked for it with tomatoes. So, in actuality, the tomato salad was sublime. Their steaks are wonderful as are their fish dishes. The mushroom risotto is a must get! The drinks from the bar were perfect as were their teas and coffee drinks. We ate here many, many times and none of us had a complaint. A must go!!!!

I am shocked at the bad reviews. This is truly one of the best places we've been in our lives and…read morewe come back every year. The food at the cookhouse is superb. The spa is other worldly. The vibes are immaculate. The staff is kind and down to earth. I've never been anywhere more beautiful and relaxing. I guess you can't please everyone. My only advice for management is to bring back the 50% kamaaina discount so we can come more often!!